Rotational interface for snowboard bindings

ABSTRACT

A snowboard binding interface and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. The snowboard binding interface can be used to provide a quick and simple way of changing the orientation of a snowboarder&#39;s feet relative to the snowboard. In one embodiment, an interface includes a single rotational unit in a front binding interface and a non-rotational unit in a back binding interface that matches the height of the rotational unit. The rotational unit can move 360° so that a snowboarder can change position of one foot relative to the snowboard. The binding interface reduces boot heel and toe drag during edging on snow because the binding is elevated above the surface of the board, and the force to the edges of the snowboard is increased due to the leverage generated by the additional distance between the snowboard and the binding.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed technology relates to bindings and, in particular, tosnowboard bindings including rotational interfaces.

BACKGROUND

Snowboarding generally does not allow as much variation in foot, ankle,and leg positions as skiing provides, which tends to fatiguesnowboarders' muscles and ligaments. If a snowboarder's forward footcould be oriented along the longitudinal axis of the snowboard, theweight of the board would put less stress on his/her knee. For example,a snowboarder may want to change his/her foot orientation to align withthe longitudinal axis of the snowboard when standing in a lift line,gliding on flatter ground getting to the lift, riding a lift, and/orhiking out of backcountry areas not serviced by lifts. Additionally, asnowboarder may want to change his/her foot position so that both feetoriented positively (i.e., facing forward) when snowboarding moreaggressively and carving. Under other conditions, a snowboarder may wantto have his/her forward foot oriented positively and his/her rear footoriented negatively (i.e., one foot facing forward and one foot facingrearward), or in another combination of foot positions dictated by slopeconditions and snowboarder preference. When resting on a steeper slopein a sitting position, a snowboarder may wish to have one or both feetoriented at zero degrees to the board so that the snowboard can faceperpendicular to the fall line with the snowboarder's feet, ankles, andlegs in the most relaxed position. However, snowboarders currently donot have the option of easily changing the position of one or more feetsecured in the snowboard binding.

SUMMARY

A snowboard binding interface in accordance with the new technology canbe used to provide a quick and simple way of changing the orientation ofa snowboarder's feet relative to the snowboard. In one embodiment inaccordance with the new technology, a binding includes a singlerotational unit in a front binding interface and a non-rotational unitin a back binding interface that matches the height of the rotationalunit. The rotational unit can move 360° so that a snowboarder can changeposition of one foot relative to the snowboard, and a locking mechanismcan be used to lock the rotational unit in a desired position. Inanother embodiment, a binding interface can include two rotational unitsfor more foot variations. Both embodiments provide two additionaladvantages: (1) boot heel and toe drag during edging on snow arelessened because the binding is elevated above the surface of the board,and (2) force to the edges of the board is increased due to the leveragegenerated by the additional distance between the board and the binding.Embodiments in accordance with the new technology can also provide easyoperation so that a snowboarder can quickly adjust a rotational unit ona binding interface when on a slope. The locking mechanism can be handsfree and the binding interface can include multiple preset adjustmentpositions.

Additionally, embodiments in accordance with the new technology caninclude a mounting hole and/or slot pattern that provides the ability toadjust stance position of a snowboarder in a continuous, infinite numberof positions along the longitudinal and transverse axis of thesnowboard. In one embodiment, mounting slots in a base of a shell of abinding interface allow infinite positional movement along the length ofthe board, instead of incrementally jumping between sets of mountingholes. An embodiment in accordance with the new technology can alsoinclude infinite positional movement of the slot in the binding whichattaches to the top of the interface (e.g., rotational unit,non-rotational unit) and allows precise positioning of heel and toeoverhang on the board. The position of the rotating interface unit isalso infinite (360 degrees). The new technology allows infinite stanceadaptability along the long axis of the snowboard, across the long axisof the board as well as rotation, which is a unique feature.

Advantageously, the new technology can be combined with existingequipment on the market and can be used or adapted for use with a widevariety of bindings and boards.

Binding interfaces in accordance with the new technology can also havethe added benefits of being durable, water resistant, corrosionresistant, relatively lightweight, and requiring minimal maintenance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a section of a binding interface shell inaccordance with an embodiment of the new technology.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a section of a binding interface shell inaccordance with an embodiment of the new technology.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a binding interfacerotational unit in accordance with an embodiment of the new technology.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a binding interface rotational unit inaccordance with an embodiment of the new technology.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a section of a binding interface inaccordance with an embodiment of the new technology.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a binding interface inaccordance with an embodiment of the new technology.

Appendix A includes additions color images of one or more embodiments ofthe assembly and components of the assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to a binding interface that providesheight and rotational changes in binding position as well assimultaneous infinite longitudinal and horizontal stance adjustments,and methods of making the same. Certain specific details are set forthin the following description and FIGS. 1-6 to provide a thoroughunderstanding of various embodiments of the disclosure. For example,embodiments of snowboard bindings are described in detail below. Thedisclosed technology however may be used in a variety of bindingsincluding wakeboard bindings, ski bindings, and other suitable bindings.Additionally, the term disc is used below to describe a rotational unit,but the rotational unit can be any suitable shape including a sphere,hexahedron, or another shape. In addition, any dimensions, angles andother specifications shown in the figures are merely illustrative ofparticular embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, other embodimentsof the invention can have other dimensions, angles and specificationswithout departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

Well-known structures, systems, and methods often associated with suchapparatuses have not been shown or described in detail to avoidunnecessarily obscuring the description of the various embodiments ofthe disclosure. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the relevant artwill understand that additional embodiments of the new technology may bepracticed without several of the details described below.

Rotational Interface:

In the figures that follow, identical reference numbers identifyidentical or at least generally similar elements. FIGS. 1-6 illustratedifferent views of a rotational interface 100 for a binding inaccordance with the new technology. For example, FIG. 1 is an isometricview of a section of a binding interface shell 102 in accordance with anembodiment of the new technology. The binding interface 100 can includethe shell 102 comprising a base 104, a plurality of holes 106, and a rim108. An upper surface of the snowboard (not shown) can be directly incontact with the base 104 of the shell 102. The base 104 of the shell102 may be partially or completely coated with a thin cushioningmaterial that contacts the board. The cushioning material (e.g.,urethane or another suitable material) can aid in shock absorption andallow slightly more board flex in contact areas.

The base 104 of the shell 102 may be flat, multi-planed, curved up onthe edges, or another suitable shape that provides enough surface areacontacting the snowboard surface to allow for the transfer of force tothe board and its edges. The shell 102 may be made of any material thatprovides sufficient strength and rigidity to allow the shell 102 towithstand occasional extreme stress and violent use of the snowboardwithout failure between the shell 102 and the snowboard. The shell 102can be rigid enough to allow transfer of force quickly and forcefully tothe snowboard and its edges. The shell material can also be relativelylight, resistant to water damage and corrosion, resistant to permanentdistortion, and low maintenance.

The shell 102 can include the plurality of holes 106 and/or a pluralityof slots 110 in the base 104 that allow the shell 102 to be fixed to asnowboard by any means that prevents the shell from movinganteroposteriorly, laterally, or vertically relative to the snowboardonce it is attached in a desired location. The shell 102 can be moved todifferent positions on the snowboard by selecting different attachmentpoints in the snowboard. Attachment means for the shell 102 can includescrews, wires, and other suitable attachment means. The shell can bemade of a rigid material, such as metal, plastic, composite or othersuitable materials.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a second section of a binding interfaceshell 102 in accordance with an embodiment of the new technology. Theshell 102 can be identical to the shell 102 described in FIG. 1, and canbe combined with the shell in FIG. 1 to secure a rotational unit. Inalternative embodiments, the shells 102 in FIGS. 1 and 2 can differ, andin further embodiments, the shells 102 can be a single unit.

The shell 102 can also include a locking device (not shown). The lockingdevice can interact with a rotational unit, such as a disc 112 shown inFIGS. 3-6, to prevent movement of the disc 112 relative to the shell 102when the disc 112 is in a desired position. Desired positions can beselected in advance by a snowboarder or by a manufacturer. The lock canbe released manually and/or by a wireless remote to allow the disc torotate. The lock can also be configured to release and relock withoutthe need for a snowboarder to remove his/her foot from the binding (notshown).

In one embodiment, the lock device can be spring loaded and can includea plurality of indents, slots, and/or holes along the shell 102. Thisembodiment allows the disc 112 to lock in a position by simply rotatingthe disc 112, without manual intervention (e.g., using hands to lock thedisc 112) until an indent, slot, and/or hole in the disc 112 isencountered. The plurality of indents, slots, and/or holes can bepositioned along any portion of the rim 108 that contacts the disc 112or on another suitable position on the shell 102 (e.g., the base 104).

In another embodiment, the lock device may be configured so the disc 112and an attached binding (not shown) are locked relative to the shell 102so that the disc 112 is oriented in a neutral position, along thelongitudinal axis of the snowboard. The neutral position is the mostfavorable position for a snowboarder's leading foot, ankle, and knee forall snowboard related activities (e.g., walking to the lift, riding achair, riding a t-bar or rope toe, gliding on substantially flatterrain, hiking out of back country areas) other than actuallysnowboarding down mountain runs. The advantage of this position is thatit puts the foot, ankle, and knee in the most natural, unstrainedposition relative to the snowboard. Eliminating ligament and musclestress, strain, and fatigue in the foot, knee, ankle, and leg isadvantageous for an athlete because it decreases possible injuries.Additionally, providing a neutral position allows a snowboarder to use afootrest on a chairlift and decreases a snowboarder's interference withothers using the footrest.

This embodiment may further include a locking device having one or morenon-neutral positions that a snowboarder can choose from while ridingdownhill. In this embodiment, the locking can be released using any ofthe methods described above allowing the disc 112 to rotate to a desiredposition.

In an embodiment in accordance with the new technology, the disc 112 canrotate freely within the shell 102 when the disc 112 not in the lockedposition. The disc 112 can be rigid to allow transfer of force quicklyto the shell 102, which in turn transfers force to the snowboard and itsedges. The disc 112 can also be strong enough to secure screwattachments (not shown) without breaking under forces applied duringsnowboarding. Additionally, the disc 112 can comprise a water resistantmaterial, a material light enough to make the overall weight of thebinding interface 100 practical to use in conjunction with a binding andsnowboard, a material resistant to distortion, and/or a low maintenancematerial. The disc 112 can also comprise a material that can be cutaccurately to allow for interfacing with the locking device. The disc112 can be repairable if a cut area needs to be filled in to restore thedisc 112.

Additionally, an embodiment in accordance with the new technologyincludes a disc 112 that is multileveled. As shown in FIG. 3, the disc112 can be multileveled, and can be configured to fit partially insidethe shell 102. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the onlyportion of the disc that is visible is the top surface 114 of the disc112. The bottom layer of the disc 112 can provide a contact patch thatcan act in conjunction with the base 104 of the shell 102 to transferforce vertically onto the snowboard.

The disc 112 can be securely positioned within the shell(s) 102. Avertical inner wall 116 of the shell 102 can prevent the disc 112 frommoving horizontally. For example, the inner rim 108 of the shell 102 canhave a vertical rim wall 120 that can also prevent horizontal movementof the disc. The rim 108 of the shell 102 can form a continuous circle,or can have another suitable shape. The underside 122 of the rim 108 canprevent the disc 112 from moving vertically away from the board. Asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the disc 112 can further include a ledge portion124 that extends from an edge of the disc 112 under the rim 108 of theshell 112 to a raised portion 126 in the center of the disc 112,abutting the rim 108. The ledge portion 124 can extend around thecircumference of the disc 112 and can contact the underside 122 of therim 108 and the base 104 of the shell 112 simultaneously. The ledgeportion 124 can provide leverage for the disc 112 to transfer force tothe shell 102. The ledge portion 112 can also transfer force in anupward direction to the rim 108 and force in a downward direction to thebase 102 of the shell making the transfer of force to the snowboard andits edges quicker and more forceful.

As shown in FIG. 5, the disc 112 can further include a first pluralityof holes 128 and/or slots 130 that provide access screws that attach theshell 102 to the snowboard.

Additionally, the disc 112 can include a second plurality of holes (notshown) to attach the binding to the disc. The second plurality of holescan have any suitable arrangement for attaching the binding and can beconfigured the same as or different from the first plurality of holes128 and/or slots 130. The binding can be attached using any method thatcan secure the binding to the disc 112 and allow adjustment. In oneembodiment, the attachment method includes T-nuts within the disc 112.The T-nut can be recessed away from the upper and lower surfaces of thedisc 112 to decrease friction or interference with either the shell 102or the binding. When attaching the binding using T-nuts, the disc mustbe comprised of a material that has sufficient strength to resistpulling forces from the binding on the screws inserted into the T-nuts.

In an additional embodiment, the disc 112 can be elevated in the centerof the disc 112, above the level of the ledge portion 124. The elevationcan be greater than the height of the top of the rim 108 of the shell102 so that the attached binding does not bind against the shell 102when the disc 112 rotates within the shell 102. In further embodimentsin accordance with the new technology, the height of the top surface ofthe disc 112 relative to the top surface of the rim 108 of the shell 102may vary according to the materials being used for the disc 112, theshell 102 and the binding.

Advantageously, the binding interface 100 increases force applied to theedges of the snowboard because the height of a binding attached to thebinding interface 100 is higher than a typical mounting height for abinding. This increases the lever arm from the binding to the snowboardand its edges.

In another embodiment in accordance with the new technology, the bindinginterface 100 is symmetrical when attached to the snowboard, so theforce delivered to the snowboard is more evenly distributed than itwould be when an asymmetrical binding is mounted to a snowboard.

In an additional embodiment in accordance with the new technology, achannel or a plurality of channels on the snowboard can be used toattach the snowboard to the shell. The channel(s) may have an attachmentthat protrude slightly above the inner surface of the base of the shell,so the bottom of the disc can be relieved to allow free movement of thedisc without interference from the attachment.

Another embodiment includes a shell that can be one piece instead andthe rim of the shell can be separate from the base. The rim and base ofthe shell can be connected using screws, bolts, or another suitableattachment mechanism. The disc can be positioned between the shell andthe rim during attachment. This embodiment can further include a slot orslots on the bottom of the shell for acceptance of the attachment boltsor screws. Advantageously, no special channel style bindings would berequired with the interface which attaches to the channel stylesnowboard. In another embodiment, a disc can be made of differentmaterials for variations on board flex and pressure transfer to thesnowboard. The disc can be made of a harder material for quicker edgeresponse or a softer internal material can be used to allow more boardflex. The disc having a softer flexing material can include a slight “v”shape where two halves of the shell meet at the inner edges, therebyallowing the two halves of the shell to flex towards each other to alimited extent as the snowboard flexes. The components of the bindinginterface assembly can be made of a variety of suitable materials. Forexample, some components can be metallic components, such as aluminum,alloys, stainless steel, or the like, or the compontents may be madefrom other materials, such as plastic, nylon, composites, etc. In someembodiments, components may be made of other materials, such as acetalcopolymer or delrin type materials.

Non-Rotational Interface:

Snowboarders may select to use the rotational interface 100 describedabove with only one foot (e.g., the front foot), and combine therotational interface 100 with a non-rotational interface on the otherfoot (e.g., the rear foot). The non-rotational interface provides apedestal for the rear foot that matches the height of the rotationalinterface 100 so that both feet have similar leverage properties. In oneembodiment, the non-rotational interface does not have a shell, a disc,or a locking device as described above. The non-rotational interface mayinclude a plurality of holes (as described above) to secure thenon-rotational interface between the binding and the snowboard.

An additional embodiment in accordance with the new technology caninclude two non-rotational interfaces to provide greater leverage and/orraise the height of the binding above the snowboard.

An additional embodiment in accordance with the new technology caninclude two rotational interfaces to provide additional advantages: Footposition adjustment options that may be preferred by the snowboarder.Different slope conditions may require a variety of different front andback foot position combinations. In addition, while riding a chairlift,if a front facing rear foot unit is use with a rear entry binding, theweight of the snowboard can be supported by slipping the rear foot intothe binding and lifting to take strain off the front knee and leg. Therear foot can also be slipped into a front facing rear entry bindingwhen getting off the chairlift to add more control to the snowboard.From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments ofthe invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration,but that various modifications may be made without deviating from thespirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is notlimited except as by the appended claims.

1. A binding interface assembly for use with a SNOWBOARD and a bindingassembly, comprising: an interface shell that mounts atop the snowboard,the interface shell having a base and a rim, the base having a pluralityof apertures therein that receive fasteners for attaching to thesnowboard, the apertures in the base having a selected pattern whereinat least a portion of the apertures align with mounting apertures in thesnowboard, the rim defining an interior area within the shell above thebase, the rim having a sidewall, a bottom portion connected to theinterface shell, and a top portion extending radially inward from thesidewall; a binding disc rotatably disposed in the interior area of theinterface shell, the binding disc having a bottom surface adjacent tothe base of the interface shell, a perimeter portion adjacent to thesidewall of the rim, and a top surface facing away from the base, atleast a portion of the top surface being intermediate the top portion ofthe rim and the base, wherein the top portion of the rim blocks thebinding disc from moving out of the interior area, the top surface ofthe binding disc connects to the binding, the binding disc having aplurality of connection portions the engage connectors of the binding toretain the binding on binding disc, wherein the binding disc and thebinding are rotatable as a unit relative to the interface shell, thebinding disc having a plurality of lock engagement portions in spacedapart relationship on the perimeter portion; and a lock device connectedto the interface shell and engageable with the lock engagement portions,the lock device being moveable between an unlocked position and a lockedposition, in the unlocked position the lock device is out of lockingengagement with the lock engagement portions of the binding disc and thebinding disc is free to rotate relative to the interface shell, and inthe locked position the lock device engages the lock engagement portionsof the binding disc and the binding disc is prevented from to rotatingrelative to the interface shell and the snowboard.
 2. The assembly ofclaim 1 wherein the interface shell is unitary structure.
 3. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein the interface shell includes a cushioningmaterial that directly engages a top surface of the snowboard.
 4. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein peripheral portion of the binding disc has aradially inwardly sloped surface that corresponds to a mating shapedefined by the sidewall and top portion of the rim of the base.
 5. Theassembly of claim 1 wherein the lock engagement portions of the bindingdisc are positioned to allow the binding disc to be locked in any one ofa plurality of selected positions relative to the interface shell. 6.The assembly of claim 1 wherein the lock device is biased toward thelocked position.
 7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the lock engagementportions of the binding disc are at least one of an indent, slot, holeand depression.
 8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the lock device is aspring loaded pin device with a first end that engages the binding plateand a second end that is engaged by a user to move the lock devicebetween the locked and unlocked position.
 9. The assembly of claim 1wherein the binding disc and interface shell are positioned to allow thebinding disc to rotate at least 360 degrees relative to the interfaceshell when the lock device is in the unlocked position.
 10. The assemblyof claim 1, further comprising the binding removeably mounted to the topsurface of the binding disc.